Trainees learn in a variety of ways. The use of various training styles within the presentation of the training curriculum, helps maximize the ability of each type of learner to understand and process the information.

There are various theories regarding learning styles (e.g., Barbara Soloman’s Four Dimensions of Learning and the 4MAT System developed by Bernice McCarthy). The theorists agree that different people learn in different ways.

Typically, the learning styles can be viewed as a continuum with one style more dominant for a given trainee than another, but where a different style can also be effective. Learning is particularly successful if more than one learning style is accommodated (e.g., introduce information one way and reinforce information another way).

Types of Learning Styles

Look at the following illustration which contains the different types of learning styles:

Adult Learners

According to Malcolm Knowles, adult learners have other learning characteristics, including:

· a requirement to know how the knowledge is of direct benefit,

· a need to apply the knowledge through actual experience,

· ability to learn quickly when the training content is considered to be of use,

· a tendency to learn best when a problem-based approach is used,

· a need for independence, but not enough to cause discomfort (e.g., some trainees are uncomfortable with role playing).

Types of Training Styles

Create training styles for the various parts of the curriculum by combining various strategies.

Select Training Dynamic

First, select one training dynamic:

· active training strategy, which is an approach where the trainee learns by participating in an activity that is related to the curriculum,

· passive training strategy, which is an approach where the trainee learns by being given information, typically through written text or verbally.

Select Type of Participation for Active Training

Next, for the active training strategy, select one type of participation:

· independent training strategy, which is an approach where the trainee learns by working alone to complete the training activities,

· collaborative training strategy, which is an approach where two or more trainees share ideas, experiences, opinions, and perspectives related to the training objective, but complete the training activities independently,

· cooperative training strategy, which is an approach where two or more trainees work together on a common task, in a manner that is positively interdependent, with trainees accountable for their share of the work.

Select the Type of Organization

Next, select the main type of organization:

· task-based approach, where training is centered around the accomplishment of given tasks,

· problem-based approach, where training is centered around the solution of a given problem,

· goal-based approach, where training is centered around the achievement of a given goal.

Select Additional Approaches

Select any additional approaches that will make the learning experience more effective for a given curriculum. For example:

· discovery-based approach, where curriculum knowledge is acquired through discovery,

· situation-based approach, where the curriculum is presented in the context of the actual business environment.

Example

For example, you use a passive, task-based style to teach help desk employees how to handle a call (e.g., explain procedures, where to find information). To reinforce the information, you use an active, cooperative, problem-based style to have a team of two solve the problem of a pretend caller.

Some name

Craig has over 25 years of Technology Consulting experience including 10 years in Project Leadership roles. He has extensive background working with large scale, high-profile systems integration and development projects that span a customer’s organization, and experience designing robust solutions that bring together multiple platforms from Intel to Unix to Mainframe technologies with the Internet.

"Mr. Craig, I really appreciate with the learning you have done and the effort you have made in the research of the training style. The content on the training styles are excellent.

But practical speaking, this is not possible to follow one style during the entire training. If you have the mix profile of the candidates then you need to use the mix approach so that the training should be more on the quality side and the participant should be able to relate it with their experiences and work.

The best trainer has to decide in the first one hour of the training that which approach he should follow, after understanding the candidates. "